Dancing doll



R. GAULE Nova 20, 1923.

DANCING DOLL Filed April 25 m v M E: AT; E 1 RN Q G QQF Q. a Q6 5 u rm R my m UL nvpop%$ W m M W\ aw mm M m w m Nov. 20, 1923. 1,475,064

. R. GAULE DANCING DOLL Filed April 25. 1.921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwuewfo'z Ruse Elaula Patented Nov. 20, 1923.

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Anuhcation filed April 25, 1921] Serial No. 464,125.-

To all whomit may concern:

Be it known thatI, Ross. GAULE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Peosta, in the county of Dubuque and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dancing Dolls, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to toys of the type in which a suspended doll ismade to dance by vibration and the objects of the present invention are, first toprovide a novel means of constructing the doll so that an exceptionally simple, durable and inexpensive article will be formed, said doll construction: permitting free movement of the limbs upon the vibration of the doll; second, to provide a novel means for mounting the doll sothat.

the feet ofthe doll can bekept at a fixed relation to the platform; and third, to pro vide a novel means for actuating the doll or figure so that the figure can be readily operated.

With these and other objects in view, theinvention consists in the novel construction,

arrangement and formation of parts, as will necting the portions of the legs together and the legs to the body'or trunk of the figure. Figure 4' is a plan view of thefigure illus trating the means of mounting'the same on the supporting string and the means of'actuating the figure, the neck of'the figure being shown in section' Figure 5 is a detail plan view ofthedancingplatform, the supporting post carried.

thereby being shown in section.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A indicates the dancing figure or doll; B the platform therefor; C, the means for suspending the doll; and D, the actuating means for the doll or figure.

The dancing figure or doll A may be of any. preferred character, that is, it may be dressed in any preferred manner. As shown the'figure A inclu'des'the body or trunk. portion 10, which may be made of wood if so desired. Theupper portion of the trunk 10 is provided with an integral neck extension 11 on which the head 12 is adapted to be secured in any preferred manner. Thishead may be made of celluloid or any other suitable material. The trunk 10 has the arms 13 secured thereto, and these arms may be' connected to the bodyin any preferred manner, either loosely or rigidly.

The lower end of the trunk 10 has con- .nected thereto the legs 14, which includes the upper thigh sections 15 and the lower ankle sections 16. The lower ankle sections 16 have feet 17 formed thereon. The leg, sections 15 and 16 are connected together andto the trunk 10 ina novel manner which will be now described. This means renders the legs freely movable and forms an exceptionally durable and simple method. of connecting the leg sections together and to the trunk or body. As shown the lower portion of the trunk is provided with a pair of extensions 18 which are slotted as'at 19. The meeting terminals of the leg sections 15 and 16 are also slotted as at 20 and. 21. The. upper terminals of the leg portions 15 are also slotted as at' 22. Suitable fabric strips 23' and 24: are utilized'for connecting the legs to the trunk 10 and the leg sections together. The terminals of these fabric strips 23 and 24 are inserted in the slots 19, 22 and 20 and 21 respectively and maybe secured therein bysuitable adhesive or by threads or pieces of wire. It can be seen thatthese fabric strips allow a free movement of the legs on the trunk and the leg sections in relation to each other. It is obvious that the fabric strips 23 and 24 may be connected to the trunk 10 and the leg sections in other- These posts 28 and 29 may be connected 7 to the arms 26 and 27 in any preferred man- 35, which is rotatably mounted in an open-.

and one end of the string is secured as at 33 to a suitable retaining member 34. The opposite end of the string is secured to a key ing 36. The opening 36 and the body portion37 of the key are tapered so that a friction fit may be had between the walls of the the opening and the outer surface of the body portion 37 of the key 35. It can be seen that by rotating the key 35 the tension of the string 31 may be adjusted and thus any slack occurring in'the string maybe readily taken up and the feet of the figure held at the required position in relation to the platform B The actuating means F for the dancing figure or doll A forms an important part of the invention and includes aframe '38, preferably formed of'a single strand of wire. This frame includes the parallel arms 39 .which have their terminals bent at right angles as at 40 and anchored in any preferred manner in the neck extension 11 of the trunk 10. The arms 39 continue rearwardly of the figure 10 and are bent to form eyes 41 whicli are adaptedto snugly engage the string 31. Below the eyes 41 the frame 38 includes parallel leg portions 42 and these leg portions 42 terminate in a rlght angular extension 44 to'which is secured a suitable forefinger is placed upon the finger piece and a downward pressure exerted thereon. The forefinger is then quickly removed from the finger piece 45 and the string 31 will move the dancing figure A upwardly. This movement is rapidly continued and the figure will be alternately raised and lowered. will cause the legs 14 and theleg sections 16 and .15 to swing or vibrate simulating a jigging motion. By timing the tapping on the finger piece 45 and moving the finger to different points on the finger piece the figure or doll A can be made to describe various steps which will add to the interest of the toy.

If so desired the finger piece 45 may be suitably padded so as to form a cushion for This the fingers during the actuation of the toy.

From the foregoing description it can be seen that an exceptionally simple and durable toy has been provided which will be of interest to both young and old.

' Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention; but,

I claim: I 1. A dancing toy comprising a base, supporting posts carried by the base, a string carried by the posts, a dancing figure mounted' upon the string, and a finger piece carried by the figure and engaging the string at a point spaced from the figure.

2. A dancing toy comprising a base plate, supporting posts carried by the base plate, a string connected to the posts, a dancing figure connected with the string at its up per end, an actuating frame secured to the figure, means formed on the frame for engaging the string at a point spaced from the figure, andv a finger piece. formed on the frame at a point below the string.

3. A dancing toy comprising a base plate, upstanding posts carried by the base plate, a string carried by the posts, a dancing figure connected at its upper portion to the string, an actuating frame for the figure including parallel arm portions, means anchoring the forward ends of the arm portions to the figure above the string, eyes formed on the arms for engaging the string, depending leg portions formed on the eyes, and afinger piece carried by the lower ends of the leg portions.

4. A dancing toy comprising an elliptical base plate, outwardly extending arms formed on the oposite ends of the base plate,

upstanding posts secured to said arms, the

upper terminals of the posts having aligned openings formed therein, a cord arranged through said openings, a dancing figure car ried by the cord, means connecting one end of the cord to one of the posts, a rotatable key secured to the other post, and means connecting the adjacent end of said cord to the key.

5. A figure comprising a body, a head, arms carried by the body, legs, the legs including a pair of sections, the meeting terminals of the leg sections having slots formed therein, the upper terminals of the upper leg sections having slots therein, the lower portion of the body having slots formed therein, and fabric strips arranged in said slots connecting the legs to the body and the leg sections together.

ROSE GAULE. 

